Learn to prevent falls in program at Griffin Hospital in Derby

Griffin Hospital to host a fall prevention program Dec. 7./ Contributed photo

DERBY -The Valley Parish Nurse Program at Griffin Hospital and Griffin Hospital Lifeline will host a free Fall Prevention Program from 9 a.m.-noon Dec. 7 at the hospital, 130 Division St.

The program will discuss the dangers of falling, especially for seniors, and will help attendees prevent falls by: Assessing their fall risk; teaching them to assess their, or a loved one’s, risk of falling; teaching and practicing exercises to improve balance and leg strength; providing a medication review; encouraging annual eye exams; teaching ways to reduce tripping hazards at home and learning how to get up or to call for fast help if a fall occurs.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one out of three adults 65 and older will fall each year. 
For those 65 and older, falls are the leading cause of injury, death, and hospital admissions for trauma. Those who fall, even if not injured, develop a fear of falling. This fear causes people to limit their activities reducing their mobility, causing loss of physical fitness, which in turn increases the actual risk of falling.

A light breakfast will be provided by Griffin Hospital Lifeline.

To reserve a seat or for more information, contact Esther, 203-732-1523 or ejones@griffinhealth.org.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital. 

Pet therapy team at Griffin Hospital in Derby wins Planetree award

The Griffin Hospital Pet Therapy Team of Nancy Schneider and her greyhound Star recently received The Planetree Animal Therapy Team Award./ Contributed photo

DERBY - The Griffin Hospital Pet Therapy Team of Nancy Schneider and her greyhound Star, of Monroe, recently received The Planetree Animal Therapy Team Award.

The Planetree Animal Therapy Team Awards are an annual, worldwide competition that searches out and recognizes health care animal therapy teams. 

These teams are often comprised of ordinary pets and their handlers who do extraordinary things in healthcare environments, whether helping patients with their physical therapy, lending an ear to a person who is suffering emotionally, or by simply providing the tail-wagging welcome to visitors of a health care facility.

The team was selected for Star’s infinite patience when tending to patients. A great example of this occurred when Star recently paid a visit to a hospice patient’s husband. Immediately upon meeting Star, the man fell to his knees and embraced her. 

Star patiently allowed him to soak in her calming presence. 

The following day when the patient’s wife passed away, the first words spoken by her husband when he left the hospital room were “thank you for sending me that beautiful dog.” 

Like many pet therapy teams, Star and Nancy provided companionship and were instrumental in the recovery process.

About Planetree

Founded in 1978 by Angelica Thieriot, a San Francisco patient who endured a traumatic health care experience, Planetree is an internationally-recognized, not-for-profit organization that partners with health care providers around the globe to advance patient-/resident-centered approaches to care. Planetree has been at the forefront of the effort to personalize, humanize, and demystify the health care system for more than 30 years.

With its model of patient-/resident-centered care being implemented in a diverse range of hospitals, continuing care facilities, outpatient clinics, and consumer health libraries across North America, Canada, Brazil, The Netherlands and Japan, Planetree is demonstrating that patient-centered care is not only an empowering philosophy, but a viable, vital, and cost-effective model of care.

This is a press release from Griffin Hospital.

'The Odd Piece' opens in Seymour's antiques district

Kathleen Benedetto shows a desk that could interest a pianist or music lover. It is fitted with the soft pedal (una corda), the sostenuto pedal, and the sustaining pedal (damper pedal)./ Photo by Joe Luciano

SEYMOUR - A new gift shop, “The Odd Piece,”  opened last week at 161 Main St. in the downtown antiques district.

Proprietors Kathleen Benedetto and Bernadette Pandolfe “upcycle,” or re-purpose, vintage collectibles. 

They create custom shadow boxes for customers needing a way to display their collections dust-free. A multitude of shadow boxes is displayed along a long wall.

Our thanks to Seymour resident Joe Luciano for contributing this story and photos.

Seymour Pink Gift Shop to host Holiday Open House

Seymour Pink is a community's fight against breast cancer.